Fear, Elrond, Fear!
by SivanShemesh
Summary: It was all Estel's fault, and now they will need to learn how to take care of little Elrond…
1. Prologue

Title: Fear, Elrond, Fear!

Author: Sivan Shemesh

Beta: Aranel

Disclaimer: Not mine, blame the bunnies… grin.

Rate: T for safe.

Warning: Angst, AU, family/friendship

Summary: It was all Estel's fault, and now they will need to learn how to take care of little Elrond…

--

**Prologue **

Gandalf had finally come to Imladris and that brought relief to Elrond, as, for the last three weeks, Estel had been asking him when the wizard would come.

Elrond knew that Estel would be now as satisfied as he had been before Gandalf was supposed to have come. Even though the healer had hoped that Legolas' coming would ease the boy's longing somewhat, that seemed to be going nowhere.

As he turned around the corner, Elrond noticed the elfling sitting there, seemingly caught in a vision that only he could see, and he thought to ask, "What is it, Legolas?"

"Nothing, Lord Elrond," Legolas replied and, noticing the frown and the flicker in Elrond's blue eyes, he added, "Just wondering what would happen if the orcs caught me? What would my adar do? What would Estel think of me?"

"Do not worry about it, Prince Legolas. You are safe, and that is what's important. As for Estel, it will be all right."

As though on cue, Estel ran past them to play with the twins in the garden. At this, Elrond nudged Legolas to go over and join the boy.

"You had better go, Legolas. If you sit here all day, Estel will think that you do not want him as a friend," Elrond told him.

Legolas rose, though he still felt that Estel would not want to be near him. As he went over to Estel, he could feel Elrond's gaze following him.

"Estel," Legolas called after the boy, "Why do you want Gandalf to come so badly?"

"I cannot tell you why; you will ruin it," Estel replied and turned abruptly to leave to find Gandalf.

"I am your friend, Estel, and I will not ruin it if you tell me what is going on with you," Legolas told him, hoping to get some information.

Elrond watched the two, observing the near-mocking attitude from his foster son, and knowing by the elfling's look that he was feeling insulted, he knew that he should do something.

"Estel," Elrond warned the boy who had hurried over the where the tall gray figure was approaching, "Come here at once."

Estel walked back toward his adar, passed Legolas without saying a word, and asked his father, "What is it, adar?"

Elrond sighed heavily, "I will not let you act like this toward your friend. Legolas and you are friends, Estel, not enemies."

"But… But Legolas could ruin it," Estel protested.

"Ruin what exactly?" Elrond asked, wanting to know what exactly the boy seemed to have planned.

"I want Gandalf to… to… do some fireworks tonight… or doing something spooky," Estel replied, a slight fear showing as he did not know how his foster adar would react to that.

"You could share the fun with Legolas. I am certain that Legolas would love to take part in your plan if you allow him to," Elrond suggested.

"I do not want to! This elf will only ask more questions and that will mean getting us caught by Gandalf and he will not let me see those fireworks ever again," Estel protested.

"Estel, you need to explain to Legolas before you go ahead with your plan. I believe that Legolas will not ask more questions; after all you two are more curious than Lord Erestor," Elrond gave his son a reassuring grin.

"He will still ruin it," Estel stated and with that, he left to find Gandalf.

"Legolas," Elrond addressed the Mirkwood elf, and then he added, "I do not know what is wrong with Estel, nor do I know why he is acting this way."

"It is all right, Lord Elrond. From what I know of him, he will tell me about it eventually, even though I had hoped that he would trust me by now," Legolas replied, his gaze wandering to Estel as the boy approached the wizard.

"Gandalf, you are here at last!" Estel said to the wizard as he saw him reaching with his wagon.

"Of course I am here, son, did you expect me not to come?" Gandalf asked him, grinning as widely as a Cheshire cat.

"I expect you to come, Gandalf…" Estel grinned and joined him as he sat on the welcoming ground.

They sat there, enjoying the silence while Legolas watched then from the distance, not knowing why Estel preferred the company of the wizard to his.

"Can you make Legolas go away?" Estel asked all of a sudden.

"Why would I do that?" Gandalf asked the boy in curiosity.

"He is making me angry, because he kept asking me questions," Estel replied.

"Maybe he is just acting like a friend, which is the same way you should act," Gandalf suggested, hoping that the boy would listen to him.

"I do not want a friend like this. He will ruin everything I want to do," Estel protested.

"I thought that both of you were best friends, what changed?" Gandalf asked.

"The way Legolas' acted when he came here," Estel replied simply.

"How was he acting?"

"I do not know, just that he kept asking me questions at the wrong time and place," Estel replied.

"Did you ask him what is wrong, and why is he asking you so many questions?" Gandalf asked.

"No."

"Did you know that in Legolas' homeland there was a big fight with the orcs and Legolas was almost taken as a prisoner by them?" Gandalf asked, watching the boy carefully.

"Was he hurt?" Estel asked.

"I do not know; he will not tell anyone if he is," Gandalf replied and continued, "Maybe he asked you questions because he feared that you would be lost to him as he was almost lost to his family. That's maybe why he tried to take care of you by asking questions."

"Maybe he just wants attention," Estel said stubbornly.

Legolas, who was still behind a tree, still could not believe that Estel refused to be with him, and he wondered if there was still hope that Estel would continue to be his friend. Maybe he should return to his homeland instead of being here.

"I am going to my room," Legolas excused himself, glancing at the twins who were beside him.

The twins nodded, though they showed identical worried expressions. They had heard the conversation between Gandalf and the boy and they knew Legolas would not take well to that.

As they walked toward Gandalf and Estel, Elladan warned Estel, "That was uncalled for; he is your friend, and you might lose him."

Gandalf stared at the twins and he could see the hurt emanating from their expression and he asked, "Where is Legolas?"

"He's going back to his room. Maybe he would never want to come here, and I cannot blame him," Elrohir replied.

"Good," Estel replied and smiled brightly.

"Estel, I will not tolerate this kind of attitude; what kind of friend are you?" Gandalf rose from the ground, holding his staff in a clearly angry manner.

"No fireworks?" Estel asked in an innocent voice.

"Maybe after I will punish you," Gandalf replied, warning him, "Then you will see stars."

Elrond came in time to hear Gandalf's threat. "Do not punish my son so harshly," he said.

"Why not? Maybe it would be good for him to learn something." Gandalf replied the elf-lord.

"No, today was supposed to be a good day," Elrond replied, and sensing that Legolas was missing, he asked, "Where is Legolas?"

"He is back in his room, and might want to leave forever, because of Estel," Elrohir replied.

"Tell him to come here. His presence is very important, and I will not be the one to explain to Thranduil why his son returned home alone – or do any of you wish that honor?" Elrond replied, biding them to call the elfling.

"Why, is the mature elf not all ready?" Estel asked, his voice clearly mocking.

"No, he is not, and he is King Thranduil's only son, and he almost lost him," Elrond replied, giving Estel a stern look.

"Is it so important that Legolas is here?" Estel asked.

"Yes it is," Gandalf was the one to reply this time.

"Why?" Estel asked.

"To celebrate both your first day as a man and that Legolas was saved," Elrond replied.

"I can say by his attitude that he is much more like a child than the man he is supposed to be," Gandalf told the healer.

"I will not let you do this," Elrond told the wizard. He could feel the presence of Legolas whom his sons had gone to fetch and on cue, Legolas spoke.

"What is so important for me to be here for?" the elf asked, already slinging his bow and quiver across his shoulder, clearly prepared to leave.

"You can be gone for all I care," Estel shot back.

Legolas flinched but tried to stay calm. But before he could speak, Gandalf had enough of Estel's insolence and Elrond's speech had little effect on him. As he moved his staff toward the boy, his lips muttered a spell in a low growling tone.

Elrond had little idea of what the wizard was doing, but he instinctively moved Estel out of the way, feeling a strong impact on his own back as he took the full brunt of the force. For a moment, he started wondering if it was too late for regrets…


	2. Part 1: Anthrophobia

Disclaimer, Summary and Warning could be found in 1st chapter.

Beta: Aranel

**--**

**Part 1: **Anthrophobia - Fear of people or society

**1.**

The elves and the boy witnessed how Lord Elrond changed to an elfling within a split second. The clothes that he wore were clearly too big for him and they fell to the ground in a heap.

Little Elrond stared up and looked at them in fear. He took several steps backwards, not wishing to be near them, having come to the conclusions that that they might want to do something bad to him. Without another word, Little Elrond ran away from them into the forest.

"I will watch him, you take Estel with you," Legolas told them, taking charge, "Gandalf, I want you to let my father know that I am needed here, but do not tell him the reason why."

Gandalf nodded and returned into the house.

"Can you change adar back?" Estel asked the wizard.

"You do know that it would have been you, right?" Gandalf asked the boy.

The twins still looked at Gandalf with the hope that their adar would return to his normal state soon, "Will he be our adar again, Gandalf?"

"I cannot change him; he needs to live with it and slowly, with time, he will return to his normal body," Gandalf replied.

Giving a sigh, Elrohir urged his brother, "Come, Estel, let us go home and see what the maidens have prepared for lunch."

"Then why Legolas is alone with adar? He is not our family," Estel insisted.

"Legolas only did what is needed, since you were the one who started you're your atrocious attitude," Gandalf replied with a tone that put an end to the conversation.

Estel followed his brothers inside the house followed by Gandalf in the rear.

--

From the trees, Legolas watched them leave and then he sighed in relief. He knew that he needed to watch over Elrond now, as he did not wish that the healer would be hurt, especially now that he was an elfling.

"Elrond," Legolas called as he walked down to the forest, noticing how the color of the sky had so quickly changed, "Lord Elrond it is me, Legolas."

No reply came from Elrond and Legolas was growing worried.

'The little one should not be alone; I need to keep watch over him.' Legolas said to himself as he followed Elrond with worry showing on his face.

TBC in chapter 2.


	3. Part 1: Anthrophobia, Chapter 2

Disclaimer, Summary and Warning could be found in 1st chapter.

Beta: Aranel

**--**

**Part 1: **Anthrophobia - Fear of people or society

**2.**

_Elrond's pov_

What is happening to me? I know that a wizard had changed me, and that my clothes got too big for me and fell down at my feet.

But now I need to run away before they hunt me, and who is the elf with the blue eyes and golden hair? Why is he following me?

I must run away to the trees because it will be safer there. They must not follow me. I am scared of them.

I do not know them, or should I know them?

But they are strangers to me; I do not know them enough to be close to them.

I must run and run to get away from that one who is coming after me. I do not want him to be near me… "Go away!" I yelled at him.

I think I'll hide behind this tree and watch that blue-eyed elf. He's telling me his name but I wonder if it should mean anything to me, because this name does not sound familiar.

Where is Elros? Where is my twin brother?

"Elrond, please come to me," that blond elf said again. He said that he did not wish me to be caught by the sneaky orcs but I don't know him. "You have nothing to fear from me, Elrond, do you remember Thranduil?" he asked.

I think I know Thranduil. He was there for me once when I was caught in trouble, but I still don't know who's the elf that is standing so near to me.

"Who are you?" I decided to ask..

"I am his son, Princeling Legolas," he answered softly.

"What do you want from me?" I asked him with some anxiety.

"I will not harm you, Elrond. If you trust my father, can you trust me?"

I can't do anything but nod. I don't know if this elfling will be there for me. We still don't know each other yet and I don't know him enough to trust him.

But he's looking at me as though he knows that something else is bothering me. "What is it, Elrond?" he asked.

"Where… where is Elros?" I finally asked with a bit of fear.

"Elros, your twin?" Legolas asked in wonder, as though he was not familiar with the name.

"Yes, my twin. Where is he?"

"He has chosen mortality," the elf replied and tried to come closer to me, but I quickly take one step back.

Mortality doesn't sound good. "Is he dead?" I asked.

"He is, though you, Elrond Peredhel are immortal," Legolas replied.

There was a crack of a broken branch and I involuntarily jumped in fear.

"Are the orcs still around?" I asked.

"Aye, they are, though in Imladris, they are barely here," Legolas replied and then he added, "They came more to my homeland. Saruman wants my father's crown and kingdom."

That was quite a bit to think. "Did you get hurt?" I asked worriedly.

"I did get hurt from time to time," Legolas admitted.

But I know that isn't everything. I can see that the princeling had some scratches in his clothes but I don't dare to touch it. "Did they hurt you recently?" I asked.

Legolas nodded.

"What happened?" I asked him and stepped a little nearer – but not too close.

"It is quite a long story, little one," Legolas said.

"Will you tell me about it?" I asked him, pleading with my eyes.

"I will," Legolas replied and reached out a hand like he wanted to hold me but I step back a little again. Then he asked me, "I will not hurt you, little one, do you trust me?"

I don't know what to say but I nodded, and Legolas didn't do anything but walk beside me.

TBC...


	4. Part 1: Anthrophobia, Chapter 3

Disclaimer, Summary and Warning could be found in 1st chapter.

Beta: Aranel

**--**

**Part 1: **Anthrophobia - Fear of people or society

3.

_While near the house…_

The twins and Estel glared at the wizard, demanding that he brought their father back to his previous state.

"I cannot bring him back. There were rules to the spells, after all."

"It's all Legolas' fault," Estel concluded.

The twins and Gandalf glared at the young man.

"Why is that Estel? What has Legolas ever done to you that you act like this?" Elrohir asked with anger.

"By being here," Estel simply replied.

"The way I see it, young man, it was all your fault," Gandalf pointed at him, and then he continued, "If you show more understanding and talk to Legolas nicely instead of being so aggressive, none of this would have happen."

"Here they come…" Elladan said, looking as Legolas came back with his adar. With a simple word of thanks to Legolas, he resumed his seat.

"Who are they?" Little Elrond asked Legolas.

"They are your family, young one," Legolas explained to him softly.

"You will keep me safe?" Elrond asked him as he was clearly apprehensive of those whom he saw.

"I will not let anyone hurt you," Legolas assured him.

"Thank you, _Uncle _Legolas."

Legolas felt so proud at that moment, but his eyes betrayed his sadness at seeing how his father's friend was in this condition. Still, it was good that little Elrond trusted him.

"My pleasure, little one."

"Who are they exactly?" Elrond asked Legolas and then he added, "I do not remember them as my family."

'This is going to be hard,' Legolas thought and replied. "They are your distant relatives who end up being in your family, little one." Legolas looked at the twins, hoping that they would cooperate and help him. He did not want any more arguments or anything that would make little Elrond run away.

"I do not know them," Elrond said and looked at Legolas before his gaze wandered around the place as though seeking someplace safe to run to.

"You are safe with me, little one," Legolas assured him, not letting little Elrond leave his side. It was then that he noticed how Elrond was almost trembling in fear and inching closer to him.

"You do not have to fear," Legolas told him and added, "May I introduce them to you?"

"I'm… please… do not…" Elrond tried to squirm away as he saw the strange man with gray clothes and the odd hat coming closer to him.

Legolas looked at the frightened elfling, not letting him run. As he noticed that Gandalf was walking toward them, he understood why Elrond might have been afraid. Perhaps the little one had remembered something in the past, for he gave a shrill shriek in fear.

"This is Gandalf; he is the good wizard," Legolas introduced him while he watched the elfling closely.

"Gandalf?" Elrond asked.

"Have you heard of him?" Legolas asked in a mix of wonder and concern.

"I do not recall," Elrond replied and then he glanced toward Legolas as he asked, "What should I know about him?"

"For now, that he is a great wizard," Legolas replied softly, and to hopefully change the subject since it seemed that Elrond was not particularly interested in the others, he wondered if the little one needed to sleep. "Are you tired?" he asked.

Elrond nodded.

Legolas gave the others a look and ushered little Elrond to the rooms. He would deal with the others later; right now he had to take care of little Elrond and his needs. Hopefully the next morning would be better.

End of Part 1.


	5. Part 2: Nvctophobia

**Reply to Anon.**** Reviews:**

**daisymall13:** _Hopefully next part will be longer, though this part will be back later on. Time certainly moves fast... LOL... Thank you sweetie for reviewing, glad to know that you love it... more to come... evil grin... *Hugs & Kisses* Have a great week and keep smiling._

**nilian:** _Of course... one part in a time sweetie. Thank you for reviewing it sweetie, glad to know that you love it. More to come... evil grin.. *Hugs & Kisses* Have a great week and keep smiling._

**milia:** _Thank you sweetie for reviewing, glad to know that you love it. Continue, right away, though just to let you know, this part will be back later on with the story.. grin... More to come... evil grin... *Hugs & Kisses* Have a great week and keep smiling._

* * *

Disclaimer, Summary and Warning could be found in 1st chapter.

Beta: Aranel

* * *

**Part 2: **Nvctophobia – Fear of the dark or of night

1.

The sky was changing quickly as the sun got its rest and the moon set to work along with the stars, sparkling on the black canvas of the sky.

Night had fallen and Legolas set the little one in the bed next to him, his eyes watching over the elfling even if he was tired as well.

He cared about the little one, feeling like he was the older elf around; it was like having a younger brother that he had always yearned to help.

"Sleep well, Elrond, sweet dreams."

"Thank you, Uncle Legolas." The little one smiled.

Legolas nodded and watched the little one doze off, before joining him in sleep.

A few moments later, Legolas felt something snuggle closer to him. He awoke from his reverie and turned to the elfling.

"Is there something wrong, little one?" Legolas asked with concern.

Legolas could feel Elrond shivering but he could not tell if it was from fear or cold. He grabbed the thin blanket and covered both of them, in hope that it would soothe the young one a little.

"Why is it so dark, Uncle Legolas?" Elrond asked.

"It is only dark for a night. The sun went to take her sleep, so that, when morning comes, she can climb above our heads." Legolas hoped that his answer would give the little Elrond some comfort.

"Is… is there any way to trick the sun to come out at night?" Elrond asked.


	6. Part 2: Nvctophobia, Chapter 2

Disclaimer, Summary and Warning could be found in 1st chapter.

Beta: Aranel

* * *

**Part 2: **Nvctophobia – Fear of the dark or of night

2.

The question had come totally out of the blue.

Legolas could see well enough in the dark but the elfling was really half-elven after all. Perhaps the curse might have affected his sight.

"Do you not like the darkness?" Legolas asked.

"I prefer the light, and I hate the dark," the elfling replied, shifting closer to Legolas.

"I can see that." Legolas grinned.

"Is there something that you can do about it, Uncle Legolas?"

Legolas sighed heavily. Elrond even as a little one was stubborn enough, a trait which rather reminded him of himself.

"I can find a candle so that there will be some light in the room, but…" Legolas paused.

"But what, Uncle Legolas?" the little one asked.

"But I do wonder if you would be asleep before the candle's gone out."

"I hope so, Uncle Legolas."

"I hope so too, little one. Good night, Elrond," Legolas told him softly. He could still remember the time when his adar was there to tuck him into bed.

"Good night, Uncle Legolas," Elrond mumbled, still not letting go of Legolas. He clearly did not wish to find himself alone in the dark; he must have heard rumors of what horrors lay in the unknown and even when asleep, it seemed as though he was still clinging on to Legolas for dear life.


End file.
